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Thursday, June 2, 2016

Whatever Happened to ....?

Well, I guess this post might seem out of sorts to some people, but over the past few days I've been thinking about my days growing up. This subject matter of my thinking back to my youth, might be of some interest to some people. Over the years, this same subject matter, has crept into my mind at various times. So, I thought I would share it with the readers today.

I can remember growing up and about this time of year, we would start seeing the June bugs. June bugs are a type of beetle or scarab, they are also sometimes called June beetle instead of June bugs. Here in my part of the world, we have the green June bugs. The green June bugs are found in the Southeaster part of the United States. I can remember, as a young boy, that the yard would be swarming with what looked like hundreds of June bugs. As kids we would catch the June bugs and tie a string on one of their back legs and fly the bug around. It was a fun thing to do back then, as there really wasn't video games or cell phones or a lot for kids to do, so we played outside. Flying the bugs around didn't seem to hurt them any and later, most of the time, we got bored and turned the June bug loose. I don't know when it happen or why it happened but one day I noticed we no longer had June bugs filling up our yards. Oh, sometimes you might see one or two but nothing like when I was growing up. So, I often wonder what happened to them, why they no longer come in our part of the world. Is it just here, in my area, that the June bugs no longer visit or are other places also seeing little or no June bugs?

So, with me wondering whatever happened to the June Bugs, It got me to thinking about other creatures that I no longer see. Creatures that once seemed so abundant when I was growing up, but now have all but disappeared.

The Monarch Butterfly is one that we use to see all the time growing up, but now you almost never see them, at least not around here. Did the migration path change, and the beautiful butterfly now does not come our way? Are they all dead? This got me to looking into this mystery. I found that there has indeed been a big population drop in Monarch butterflies and it is predicted by some that the species will go extinct in the next 20 years. I think that is terrible news and someone should be working on re-population. I miss seeing them and I will be looking for them while out in the mountains.

Another, I wonder whatever happened to creature, is the Bobwhite. I can remember sitting on my mamaw's porch and listening to the Bobwhites make their very recognizable whistle. Along about dust, about the time us kids would stop playing, we'd be sitting on the porch and seems like you would hear the whistle every evening. But it has been years since I have heard a bobwhite. I know the little ground dwelling quail, is very vulnerable to predators but we use to have a good population of them. I wonder what ever happened to them around here. It was enjoyable listening to that famous whistle, I would like to hear it now, on the evenings I sit on the porch.

This next little fellow may not but very popular, but they serve a good purpose. Bats. I can remember playing in the yard at dust and there would be bats flying about and swooping down. There was not real large numbers, maybe 15-20 of them but compared to what we see now, it seems like a lot. I have not seen a small swarm of bats in the yard in many years. They do eat a lot of bugs, maybe that is why there seems to be so many bugs now, because there are less bats. I can also remember fishing at one of our local strip mining ponds as a teenager and the bats would be swarming around. There would be so many of them that they (the bats) would fly into our fishing lines.

I know, there could be many factors to why I no longer see some of these creatures. But I still miss them.

Thinking back and missing things are a part of life, I guess. But growing up and seeing these creatures, I never even thought the day would come when I would miss them or wonder what happened to them. It's funny, as you get older, you seem to appreciate things you gave very little thought about while growing up.

Thanks
~Tom~

This
post by Thomas Marcum, Thomas is the founder/leader of the
cryptozoology and paranormal research organization known as The Crypto
Crew. Over 20 years experience with research and investigation of
unexplained activity, working with video and websites. A trained wild
land firefighter and a published photographer, and poet.